Having a smart meter on its own doesn't reduce energy usage, it's the ability to monitor and then change your habits to make savings i.e. turning stuff off etc.

So if your on top of stuff like turning plugs/lights off and know what's on at set times you probably won't actually save anything/much

29 Comments

20th Feb

Having a smart meter on its own doesn't reduce energy usage, it's the ability to monitor and then change your habits to make savings i.e. turning stuff off etc.

So if your on top of stuff like turning plugs/lights off and know what's on at set times you probably won't actually save anything/much

20th Feb

No obvious savings, but it makes you think twice about leaving lights on around the house

20th Feb

It does actually work as you home in on the things that are costing you so much... We used to spend about 75p per day just on boiling the kettle! So We have gone back to gas heated kettle and our electric cost has halfed. The gas cost a little more (only by about 15p per day). So I have saved at least 50p per day.... After 90 days thats over £45 saved!

Also I have a massive issue with how smart meters are fitted...I cant understand why each and every utility company needs to fit their own. Surely in this day and age, they could standardize on one! As it happens, when I change supplier each year to get the best tariff deals and ask for a new smart meter, both the gas & electric meter are also changed! Plus they sit the SIM/Network box that communicates remotely with the utility company. So who is paying for the 2 odd hours of engineers time and the new hardware? Its got to be the consumers ultimately. WHAT A WASTE!

Edited by: "tmohammad" 20th Feb

20th Feb

I thought Smart Meters were really only beneficial to homes where there were less occupants than the number of bedrooms? Or am I getting confused with water meters

I thought Smart Meters were really only beneficial to homes where there …I thought Smart Meters were really only beneficial to homes where there were less occupants than the number of bedrooms? Or am I getting confused with water meters

I cant understand why each and every utility company needs to fit their …I cant understand why each and every utility company needs to fit their own. Surely in this day and age, they could standardize on one! As it happens, when I change supplier each year to get the best tariff deals and ask for a new smart meter, both the gas & electric meter are also changed! Plus they sit the SIM/Network box that communicates remotely with the utility company. So who is paying for the 2 odd hours of engineers time and the new hardware? Its got to be the consumers ultimately. WHAT A WASTE!

1) Because smart meters were pushed out by the government before the system was fully correct, the system is now better so smart meter version 2 are fine for switching but think only BG are installing these currently.. Basically it was rushed out before was ready!

2) All energy customers are paying for the engineers time and hardware, our bills have all been bumped up to pay for everyone to have a smart meter, even the people who have zero interest in ever having one!

1) Because smart meters were pushed out by the government before the …1) Because smart meters were pushed out by the government before the system was fully correct, the system is now better so smart meter version 2 are fine for switching but think only BG are installing these currently.. Basically it was rushed out before was ready!2) All energy customers are paying for the engineers time and hardware, our bills have all been bumped up to pay for everyone to have a smart meter, even the people who have zero interest in ever having one!

What utter tosh. The industry dragged its heels and was then kicked into action is the truth. I was working there in the 90s when this should have been sorted. We used to say you needed a degree to clean the toilets in the power
industry and as usual, all the prima donas refused to co-operate and
standardise on one solution.

They wanted householders to pay for the meters and every Energy minister could see that was a suicidal decision.

The problem is of the industry's own making and its time they stopped crying about it.

What utter tosh. The industry dragged its heels and was then kicked into …What utter tosh. The industry dragged its heels and was then kicked into action is the truth. I was working there in the 90s when this should have been sorted. We used to say you needed a degree to clean the toilets in the power
industry and as usual, all the prima donas refused to co-operate and
standardise on one solution.They wanted householders to pay for the meters and every Energy minister could see that was a suicidal decision. The problem is of the industry's own making and its time they stopped crying about it.

Did the government know that if smart meters went out in the current state it would be a catastrophe? Did they know it wouldn't allow people to switch between suppliers and still keep the functionality? yes and yes - Not like the governement doesn't have history with pushing ahead with ideas before the systems are fit for purpose

Energy companies may have dragged their heels but it was the government who gave the go ahead(pushed like i said - Because smart meters were pushed out by the government before the system was fully correct) to start installing them when the behind the scenes parts weren't set up correctly/ready to go live.

Therefore exactly what i said was correct, the government pushed ahead with getting the installations done when they knew it wasn't up to scratch and would waste millions of pounds. Millions of pounds that are being paid for by every energy user!

What was it, i believe MSE said 80 out of the millions of smart meters installed allow a person to switch energy companies and switch, so they then have to have the old ones ripped out and replaced with another set that aren't up to standard (like the person above said) costing hundreds of pounds each time if its 2 hours of electrician costs and materials.

Who do you think pays for that, not the government, not the energy companies, not the magical money tree.. Us - every energy user

20th Feb

Wouldn't want one. If TV stations can tell when you put the kettle on imagine what an energy company can tell from your power use. For a start the could tell when you home was likely to be empty. Doen't take much more a step of the imagination for that info to be sold to criminals.

20th Feb

Don't want one.. Waste of time. Common sense and a keen eye for the switches left on

Wouldn't want one. If TV stations can tell when you put the kettle on …Wouldn't want one. If TV stations can tell when you put the kettle on imagine what an energy company can tell from your power use. For a start the could tell when you home was likely to be empty. Doen't take much more a step of the imagination for that info to be sold to criminals.

Having a smart meter on its own doesn't reduce energy usage, it's the …Having a smart meter on its own doesn't reduce energy usage, it's the ability to monitor and then change your habits to make savings i.e. turning stuff off etc.So if your on top of stuff like turning plugs/lights off and know what's on at set times you probably won't actually save anything/much

my smart meter tells me hardly anything it makes it complicated trying to tell what your looking at, when it start from, all of the data is there yet they only show you a tiny part of it

20th Feb

Don't I have the Eon one and it's rubbish. Never works, loses comumication all the time.

my smart meter tells me hardly anything it makes it complicated trying to …my smart meter tells me hardly anything it makes it complicated trying to tell what your looking at, when it start from, all of the data is there yet they only show you a tiny part of it

The main beneficiaries of smart meters are the energy suppliers.Its cost is added to your bills every year. They save the cost of a meter reader & it makes it difficult to hide if anyone hotwires the electricity.

Wouldn't want one. If TV stations can tell when you put the kettle on …Wouldn't want one. If TV stations can tell when you put the kettle on imagine what an energy company can tell from your power use. For a start the could tell when you home was likely to be empty. Doen't take much more a step of the imagination for that info to be sold to criminals.

You can already tell if someone is home by measuring WiFi/radio signals. You don’t even have to be using a radio or have WiFi in your house, if your neighbours have it, it’s that simple. It’s also easy to clip a wireless device over your power cable to monitor draw on it. Small cameras linked to mini 4g phones can easily be installed in a tree or bush when the camera is activated a clip can be sent to the person on the other end showing you leaving. Your smart phone contains a GPS tracker (essentially) this can easily be monitored to detect your location, smart watches the same and modern cars too.

You can already tell if someone is home by measuring WiFi/radio signals. …You can already tell if someone is home by measuring WiFi/radio signals. You don’t even have to be using a radio or have WiFi in your house, if your neighbours have it, it’s that simple. It’s also easy to clip a wireless device over your power cable to monitor draw on it. Small cameras linked to mini 4g phones can easily be installed in a tree or bush when the camera is activated a clip can be sent to the person on the other end showing you leaving. Your smart phone contains a GPS tracker (essentially) this can easily be monitored to detect your location, smart watches the same and modern cars too.

That was an example, and it's far more involved then just asking a mate who works a SSE. Some people go out & return at regular times even go on holiday the same dates each year. How much would a full street's worth of that data be worth to the right people?

Besides they are not compatible from company to company. Interestingly enough i worked on the first smart meters way back in 1999, I controlled the data collection via text files all to one server. It wasn't secure back then :-)

I thought Smart Meters were really only beneficial to homes where there …I thought Smart Meters were really only beneficial to homes where there were less occupants than the number of bedrooms? Or am I getting confused with water meters

as someone has already said, that is water meters. smart meters read your gas and electric use constantly and send the readings back to the utility providers directly so there is no longer any need to get the meters read as it is done automatically by the smart meters.

You can already tell if someone is home by measuring WiFi/radio signals. …You can already tell if someone is home by measuring WiFi/radio signals. You don’t even have to be using a radio or have WiFi in your house, if your neighbours have it, it’s that simple. It’s also easy to clip a wireless device over your power cable to monitor draw on it. Small cameras linked to mini 4g phones can easily be installed in a tree or bush when the camera is activated a clip can be sent to the person on the other end showing you leaving. Your smart phone contains a GPS tracker (essentially) this can easily be monitored to detect your location, smart watches the same and modern cars too.

as someone has already said, that is water meters. smart meters read your …as someone has already said, that is water meters. smart meters read your gas and electric use constantly and send the readings back to the utility providers directly so there is no longer any need to get the meters read as it is done automatically by the smart meters.

It does actually work as you home in on the things that are costing you so …It does actually work as you home in on the things that are costing you so much... We used to spend about 75p per day just on boiling the kettle! So We have gone back to gas heated kettle and our electric cost has halfed. The gas cost a little more (only by about 15p per day). So I have saved at least 50p per day.... After 90 days thats over £45 saved! Also I have a massive issue with how smart meters are fitted... I cant understand why each and every utility company needs to fit their own. Surely in this day and age, they could standardize on one! As it happens, when I change supplier each year to get the best tariff deals and ask for a new smart meter, both the gas & electric meter are also changed! Plus they sit the SIM/Network box that communicates remotely with the utility company. So who is paying for the 2 odd hours of engineers time and the new hardware? Its got to be the consumers ultimately. WHAT A WASTE!

The most worrying thing for me is how much tea you are drinking!!!75p at a very conservative 15p/kWh (I pay 10.9p) is 5kwh. A standard 3kw kettle takes about 3 mins to boil 1 liter of water (3 mugs of tea worth). So 5kwh would boil about 33l of water or about 99 cups of tea!

21st Feb

As most people say above! I think it’s how you use them. I leave mine on a setting weekly / financial cost / dual fuel so I see what has an elec are costing that’s all. It’s obvious that you’ll use more winter months and also when kettle is on and other heating elements the dial moves and drops off after. I think mine tells me nothing more than I already knew but if you have a concern about your costs/usage and you set the right settings on the meter they may be worth it.

The most worrying thing for me is how much tea you are drinking!!!75p at a …The most worrying thing for me is how much tea you are drinking!!!75p at a very conservative 15p/kWh (I pay 10.9p) is 5kwh. A standard 3kw kettle takes about 3 mins to boil 1 liter of water (3 mugs of tea worth). So 5kwh would boil about 33l of water or about 99 cups of tea!

Easy, have a massive tea mad extended family....... and children who boil full kettles for 1 cup of tea.... LOL

That was an example, and it's far more involved then just asking a mate …That was an example, and it's far more involved then just asking a mate who works a SSE. Some people go out & return at regular times even go on holiday the same dates each year. How much would a full street's worth of that data be worth to the right people?Besides they are not compatible from company to company. Interestingly enough i worked on the first smart meters way back in 1999, I controlled the data collection via text files all to one server. It wasn't secure back then :-)

I think the data is a little more secure now. Thing is if lots of burglaries happened on a street it would be quickly identified and then traced back, catching the friend and in turn the thief. It’s easier to just watch a few houses really and most domestic burglaries are opportunistic rather than planned.

Get yourself a Breville VKJ142 Hot Cup or similar. They only boil the …Get yourself a Breville VKJ142 Hot Cup or similar. They only boil the water you actually use, one cup at a time and so less water wasted also. Great device - fast, safe and simple

We have one of these machines, not sure it's a brevill but it's very handy. We can heat different levels & temps handy for cooking too if you need to fill a pan on an electric hob.

Best way to save on electric is to get your heating right, timed and levels and rather then turn it up have a cardi or jumper handy. When I first did that and remembered to turn all the things off instead leaving them on standby we save about £500 off a £1200 bill.

12th Mar

My friends bills were £120 a month before getting a smart meter fitted. Now he has a smart meter he's able to monitor the usage, for example, instead of his heating being on full whack 32c, he's reduced it to 19c and little things like this has turned his £120 bills into £90 per month.

So, it doesn't save you money by itself. The units will consume energy, your energy, so if you get it installed and don't change your ways then your energy will be slightly more per annum.

If you get one fitted you need to monitor it daily and adjust daily. You can noticeable see the usage go down when you do simple things like turn the lights off or heating down or off.